Rebuilding
by LongRider
Summary: Angel Investigations is back, bigger and better than ever. There have been some big changes in our heroes lives since the destruction of the Black Thorn. Some good, some bad and some downright strange.
1. Chapter 1

Rebuilding by Longrider

Disclaimer: All the characters created by Joss Whedon are being used purely for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement or insult is intended, please don't sue me.

Chapter 1 Spikes POV

Illyria had been getting injured more often lately.

It could have been the fact that her abilities had been diminished or that she wasn't used to fighting in human form.

Spike knew better. Blue had been doing it on purpose, after the amount of training sessions they had shared Spike knew her technique was sharper than anybody's on team angel.

It hadn't taken long to figure out the reason why she kept getting torn up.

Wesley. Watcherboy was completely oblivious of course, but as their resident medic he was too busy patching them up to see what Spike saw.

After the big brawl in the alleys of L.A. Illyria had been on the verge of emotional collapse, she'd never admit to even having emotions but that whole "wish to do more violence" bit had been the tip of the iceberg.

Wes had been treating a wound on blues back, Spike had come to ask a question about their latest case when he'd seen it, her eyes rolling up into her head, her fingers leaving dents in the battered work table, the sharp inhalation and slow sigh that followed. All beause watcherboy was touching bare skin.

And of course the stupid git thought she was in pain. How this man claimed to be a demon expert Spike didn't know. Anyone with eyes could see their former god-king of primordium was aroused.

Anyone but Wes.

His newly beating heart had skipped when she asked Watcherboy to "please continue". His question forgotten, Spike had crept quietly away, not wishing to intrude and wondering when Blue had started using manners.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Illyria's POV

The white haired one suspects, he may know of my plans. Yet has said nothing, he and the dragon-slayer are still distracted by their newness.

And I am distracted by . . . sensations.

For a time I had thought the cause had been the diminishing of my power. But the sensations increased when in the presence of my Wesley, my . . . guide.

It is strange that he can do this to me.

When he died I could not stop the feeling of grief that overcame me and when the battle was joined I welcomed the rage that allowed me to fight far longer than I am able to.

I had long cursed the shell that I was forced into for it could not hold all of my power, but on that night I was glad of the influence that the memories I now hold forced on me. I would not give them up for anything.

I now know that Wesley did not hate me, just wished that the shell, Fred, be returned to him. When he learned that this could not be, he became in his way loyal to me.

Wesley is my true guide in this world, more so than that prattling fool Knox. He seems to know what I require instinctively, but is ignorant of what I want.

It is . . . difficult when he is not near. I thank the fates that he was returned to me. This world is not the same one I ruled millennia ago. Much has changed. Most I still do not understand. But in order to survive I have come to depend on my Wesley for his knowledge and understanding.

Strange that this dependancy does not bother me anymore.

I find I want my Wesley to depend on me as much as I do him. I have his loyalty but want more. I want him to show the same regard and devotion to me as he did the shell. From her memories I know Winifred Burkle loved my Wesley, but grew as frustrated with him as I do now.

Confrontation will not work. My Wesley fears little. Like myself has died and come back reforged. But I did not become a god-king by yielding to adversity. I will change my tactics, like the humans I will be patient, I will be sneaky.

I have . . . feelings of regard for him, my shell, my skin hums when he is near, when he touches me the feeling is both indescribably exhilarating and soothing at the same time.

It is confusing.

This body is sensitive. My first body was not. Human bodies are clearly not meant for battle. They break far too easily and yet they willingly throw themselves in harms way to protect their precious helpless. Risking damage and death.

This will not do, my Wesley will be taken from me again before I can explore these sensations.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Angels POV

My heart beats.

After so long my heart beats.

When the battle was finally over and we climbed out of that alley it took me and Spike a few minutes to realise it was daytime and we weren't on fire.

I like to think this is the reward that was in the Shanshu prophecy, but neither of us is completely human.

Funny how I have something else in common with my son now. Which is good because we still fight the good fight around here.

Wesley is back with us, don't ask me how that happened. I'm still not entirely sure and I was there.

Gunn is still with us, but that's down to dumb luck more than anything else.

I just remember him falling on the demon he'd just killed, the next time I look back he's jumping, actually jumping off the demon and checking himself for injuries.

Not one, turns out the demon was a Mohra, dumb luck, or maybe the powers cutting us a break.

Spike and I fought like never before, even when we were both evil we could never work that well together, I've always had a connection to others that I've sired, but as Spike likes to point out I'm his grand-sire and we've never been close enough for something like that to work.

Another break? Maybe.

Illyria was a whirlwind of destruction that night, at the head of our loose formation she was pile-driving holes in chests and skulls, chopping bodies in half with her bare hands, tearing, throwing and cutting through the hordes ranks.

And all the time she was screaming at them in English and some other language I don't know.

Screaming obscenities, promising agony, daring and begging them to try to kill her.

How the buildings survived the amount of damage she did to them I'll never know. The ground was strewn with chunks of unidentifiable pieces.

When the second wave arrived so did a little help.

Turns out I still have some friends left that trust me.

And they're all in Harmonies PDA. I make it a point to show her I do have confidence in her at least once a week.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Gunn's POV

I've gone from just the muscle to attorney at law providing legal advice and representation at the new up and running Angel Investigations complete with I.D. papers and investigators licenses.

It's amazing what you can do when you know how to work the system.

I've gotten a second chance to do real good.

From cutting down demons to cutting through red tape. I'm a one man legal department and key player in this family.

And I owe it all to an evil law firm.

The irony aint lost on me.

The evil law firm that has been trying to shut us down for years, gave a guy the way to fight em in the ring.

I should be dead, hell we all should, but we're not, even Angel and Spike are alive now.

Damn Shanshu prophecy has a few loopholes in it, cause they're both not vampires and they're both not completely human.

Course that's a plus in our line of work, who wouldn't want to be a super-jock when you're tackling with demons, monsters and the law.

It's funny how we work better now that we're away from that place, the only papers I sign are ones I write.

We're a more than a team now, we're a family, a crazy-ass demon killing, helpless helping dysfunctional family sure, but we all fit.

I'm like a dad to this bunch, I go out and earn the money, well, a large portion of it, then come home to go rough house with the kids.

Wes is the mom, you'll never hear any of us say it but it's true. He looks after us and makes sure we look out for each other. Man could have been a doctor in a different life, watcher training comes with all sorts of extras.

Angel and Spike are the big brothers, more alike than they'll ever admit. They work together perfectly in a fight, it's the other times that cause the headaches.

Those two can argue over anything. The last one was about hot chocolate with or without marshmallows.

Don't ask.

Illyria is the the surly teenager, happy to beat her older brothers at anything, but passing it off as beneath her. Blue thunder's a menace if she doesn't win. Luckily Wes is the one who can talk her down when that happens.

And Harmony is a our distant cousin who crashed one night and decided to stay. For a vampire without a soul she's alright.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Harmony's POV

Harmony Kendall, Office Manager at Angel Investigations.

It's got a good ring to it.

I'm like key guy . . . make that girl of a Detective Agency/Law Firm thingy. Accepted and valued.

I'm following in Cordelia's footsteps, she'd be so proud of me. I've found my place here.

Cordy was right about the whole new pockets being filled with good stuff. Look at Angel and Spike, they're super-heroes without the sunlight issue, walking talking and fighting proof that you fight the bad guys and good stuff happens to you.

No wonder I sucked at being evil. I was supposed to be with the good guys.

And I figured this out sooner than the boys did.

Angels 250 this year and Spikes 131, I chose to be a good guy sooner so in a couple of years time and after a LOT of hard work I could be where they are now!

I have a plan, sort of.

It's got steps and everything.

I might do a chart to show the boys at some point. I talked to them about how they got started.

Angel killed a gypsy girl and got cursed by their elders. That won't work for me because of Angels big rule number 1. No eating people.

Spike went through trials to get his. Fighting is hard.

I'm training with the guys, but Illyria scares me, she likes staking vampires worse than slayers. Especially with that stake with the weird symbols on it Wesley made for her, it's like her favourite toy, she takes it everywhere.

She's like a super-slayer.

And she's totally in love with Wesley too.

Wesley doesn't know, he's too busy being book man. Or doing research on the latest bad-guy the team runs into.

He's not seeing the signs, men are clueless, but he's worse, way things are nothing short of a banner the size of the hotel will work.

I miss Lorne, he'd know how to help.

Not that I wouldn't, it's just that Illyria would probably stake me for trying.

She'll never ask for my help. Big tough ex-god king admit she has feelings? Feelings for the man she watches like a momma-bear? Feelings for the man she follows like a lost puppy?

Yeah right!

Fred had the same problem, I heard she had to practically jump him before he got the message.

Hey . . . I'm plotting, like, for the forces of good.

Yay me! Okay, so how can I help without getting dusted and still see the office romance I wanna see?

Man this is harder than I thought . . .

Oh . . . Oh, I have so got it. Company holiday, get everybody out of the office, the key to any successful office romance is what happens outside the office.

I think I can convince them to take some time off, Spike has been talking about trying out surfing for ages.

Now all I have to do is convince the guys to take Illyria with them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Wesley's POV

I'm back from the dead.

Quite the cliché but it's unavoidable.

So is the eventual conversation with the others. So far they haven't asked what I know, which is very little.

I remember the fight with Vail. If you can call it that. I remember thinking _never bring a knife to a gun-_fight and realising my mistake too late.

After that it gets confusing. I think I remember Fred. I'm not certain if it was real or just wishful thinking. My memories from that time are muddled at best. For all I know I was hallucinating.

What is certain is that I woke up to electric blue eyes, a soft bed and a single order.

"Do not die again. It displeases me."

I'm researching all the time now. Trying to learn anything I can with regard to how I was brought back. Nobody but Illyria knows for certain and despite my best efforts, the only response I get is.

"You are my guide, you cannot abandon your duty." Every time I bring up the subject.

Quite the puzzle I have on my hands. Equal to that is Illyrias behaviour. Everywhere I go she is there. Almost as if she were making sure I won't leave.

Am I on borrowed time?

Is this just temporary?

Ridiculous questions. Of course I'm on borrowed time. I shouldn't even be here.

As a Watcher I was taught to prepare for death. For the unfortunate but likely possibility of falling with my slayers. And while my slayers wanted nothing to do with me, I followed the rules.

I don't make any claim to the title anymore. Nor any other. I spent too much time defining myself.

Head boy at school.

Top of my year at the academy.

Watcher.

Rogue demon hunter.

Department head for the Wolfram and Hart.

Catergorising can lead to underestimating. I already know the price of that error. Every scar serves as a reminder.

I made these mistakes with my slayers, with my predecessor, with prophecies, with friends and foes alike.

I refuse to make the same mistakes with the time I have left.

I take care of those I have a responsibilities to. Using the skills taught me. Using the lessons harsh experience has taught me.

It is easier to do the work now. I find I have a clarity of focus stronger than before. With fewer distractions it's an easy claim to make.

I know the others worry but until I have my answers I don't think I will be able to stop.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Spike's POV

Team Angel's off to the beach.

This one was Harm's idea. But everyone agreed it was a good idea.

Peaches called Nina the Dog-Girl.

Charlie called some bird named Anne, I swear I know her from somewhere.

Blue said she wanted to see "The Castles of Sand." I'm not spoiling Watcherboy's fun.

Everyone's got a date cept me. But Harm shoved a surfboard in my hands and promised to tape passions for me so I'm not complaining.

Vampires don't get to try surfing, or any other summer sport for that matter. But I've been on nearly every kind of boat made.

Trust the Yanks to invent a sport that involves standing on what's basically a raft to catch waves.

Still it's always nice to be outside with the sun coming down in a nice non-lethal kind of way. That still takes getting used to.

So does the heartbeat. I couldn't sleep the first couple of nights, all I could hear was the pounding of my heart getting louder and louder. I had to make noise just to convince myself I was alright.

After hours of banging walls and stamping feet in my swanky studio apartment, which I'm converting from four rooms on the third floor of Peaches hotel by the way. I admitted defeat.

Illyrias threat to "Remove your limbs if you awaken Wesley." Might have had something to do with it. So a trip down to the office for some of Joyce Summers patented cure-all hot chocolate was in order.

Peaches beat me to it. The big puff was raiding my stash. I was about to pick a fight when he handed me a steaming mug. I'll say this for my Grand-sire. He knows how to take care of his people. Even if he can't remember to put in the little marshmallows.

We spent most of the night comparing notes on being ex-vampires.

Tasting stuff is very high on the good list. So is seeing your own reflection.

It's some of the stuff we'd forgotten that was surprising us.

Black is not a good colour for L.A.'s daytime. Drinking too much booze makes you sick. Oh yeah, lets not forget sunburn. Human doesn't mean burn proof.

Nobody ever told either of us about using sun-block. All it would have taken was a minute to say. "Hey you two, don't forget to put some sun-block on that pale skin so you don't turn pink." How hard is that?

Instead Watcherboy just hands us both a little bottle that says "After-sun" on it and goes after Blue before she can storm off. Guess she didn't like the sandcastles.

Nina took pity on us and put some of it on our backs. Charlie and his girl Anne just giggled, no help from them.

Still having a face as bright as a stop light wasn't so bad, misery loves company and I had Peaches to annoy.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Illyria's POV

I Had my Wesley explain what a "company holiday" was.

The remaining half-breed still does not make sense to me. I suspect she makes little sense to the others.

Her household gods are strangely coloured beasts of burden. Clearly she is feeble in some way.

Fortunately the half-breed did not accompany us on the "company holiday".

My Wesley said the experience of the activities he and his fellows pursued during respites from battle would be good for me.

I was more interested in the castles of sand and screaming eyes he said we could experience.

By granting permission I succeeded in making my Wesley smile.

He was pleased that I was pleased. As it should be.

The journey was an easy one. We travelled to the shore in the Dragon-slayers chariot, accompanied by both his and the smooth headed one's consorts. I could sense the Dragon-slayer's consort, a night-breed, looking at me. My Wesley explained that she knew Winifred Burkle for a time. The other seemed distracted by the White-head. My Wesley offered no explanation for this.

The customs of these people are strange. But oddly relaxing. I had never taken the opportunity to explore the lands of this realm. I settled for watching the people under our protection as they played with their young, their pets.

For the first time in my memory I created by my own . . . hands, instead of having my worshippers do it for me. I had thought these castles would be bigger, but they are no larger in my current body than they were in times past.

I was pleased that I was able to fit to these customs, although I found the strange garb the half-breed gave me . . . different, it proved . . . adequate for its purpose when I approached the water.

There is so much sensation with this body. So much so I did not notice my Wesley join me. I cared little for the activities of the others. But I noticed my Wesley did not observe the custom among the males of removing their upper garb.

My Wesley explained that his scars would make others uncomfortable. This made no sense, what should a warrior care for the comfort of others? Scars are a litany of deeds, proof of battles, was he ashamed of his victories?

Why would he not show others? Why would he not show me?

He quickly changed the subject by pointing out I was burning. I was not on fire, but I had noticed my shell . . . my skin had changed colour, another frailty of this species, but my Wesley promised to provide a soothing to the strange sensation he called "sun burn".

This was an offensive ointment he claimed would protect me from the sun.

Had I fallen so far as to be in danger from the sun the same as that annoying half-breed?

Before I could ponder that further my Wesley started applying the ointment.

I was not prepared.

That much sensation.

Too much all at once.

I could do nothing to prevent it.

I was defenceless against it without my armour.

And then I began to ponder if my Wesley knew.

Knew that I relied on my armour to protect me from the too sensitive skin of this body.

Was he mocking me?

Have I not known the shame of defeat enough?

To be brought low by a body I am ill-equipped to understand?

By the loss of my followers, my power?

Only to suffer further with a guide tormenting me?

Had I been brought so low to actually allow this to happen?

Enough! I would suffer no more defeat, no more compromise, to allow weakness was to invite death.

This would not do.

I needed to get away, I had relied on my . . . guide too much. I am Illyria, god-king of the primordium, the world itself trembled at my power. Now I was as weak as these humans.

I took my leave.

Only to have my guide, my Wesley follow me.

I decided to allow my loyal Wesley to entice me back with the promise of "eye-scream".


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

By LongRider

**Author's note: Just wanted to say thank you to my reviewers. Every review is welcome and I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts on my work.**

Angel's POV

I have to give Harmony credit. Taking a break was a good idea.

And this way I got to honour one of Cordy's wishes. When we got there, I put on a plaid shirt and spent the day at a beach. Just like she wanted.

I even managed to talk Nina into coming. It helped patch up our relationship after I asked her to leave L.A. for a while.

She was mad at me for a long time.

So mad she didn't notice it was daylight when she slammed the door in my face the first time._ Spike laughed for days when I told him. I am not love's bitch!  
_

Lucky for me she still needed a place to stay when it was full moon and I have a cage in my basement. . . . _That came out wrong._

The hotel kitchen is fully equipped. So I managed to serve up a good breakfast before bringing up the subject.

I shouldn't have worried. She thought it was a good idea. She's been really supportive of my outdoor interests since I got "cured" of my vampirism. _Her words. _I'm still trying to find a way to help her with her problem. I might see if I can track down some of the people Oz spent time with.

We all piled into my car. Harmony forced a surfboard on Spike, made sure Illyria was "properly outfitted" and promised to call if anything happened.

Driving through L.A. with the top down, in the day, for the first time is indescribable. I don't think I'm ever going to get tired of that. It's up there with watching the sun rise every morning. These are just a few of the things that make it all worth it.

Sometimes I feel guilty for feeling happy. Then I think about what I've got, the friends I have. Then I think about the friends who should be here and what they'd say if they caught me thinking about this.

I'd never have imagined that I would have surrounded myself with these people. With Sunnydale it was all about Buffy. I took an interest in the Scoobies because they were her friends. Never would I have imagined teaming up with half human-half demon all Irish seer. A former Sunnydale high cheerleader. A disgraced Watcher. A streetwise demon hunter,_ well maybe._ A student physicist. A karaoke bar owner. An old hunting/drinking partner or a soulless vampire. But I did, I have and I would do it again.

Nina caught me watching a man with his wife and a little boy at the waters edge. I couldn't help wondering if Connor hadn't been taken to Quor-toth, could that have been me now? It's a nice day dream I have. Thanks to those fake memories Connor is better adjusted and going to a great college. The last time we talked he mentioned something about an internship. I may have to talk to the head of our legal department.

Nina just smiled at me, then politely but firmly explained that I wasn't off the hook yet. I may have to do some very fast talking in the future. We settled in to watch the others for a while. Wesley was helping Illyria make the perfect sandcastle. Gunn and Anne were waist deep in the surf playing frisbee and Spike was demonstrating how not-to-succeed-at-surfing further out.

And it struck me right at that moment.

_My family._

Before the thought lasted too long, Nina grabbed my hand and dragged me into the surf to join Gunn and Anne in a game of frisbee.


	10. Chapter 10

Rebuilding Chapter 10

Gunn's POV

Humming.

Both Angel and Spike have been humming.

It's too disturbing for words.

The fang boys don't even realize they're doing it!

At least Harmony warns me when my singing makes me sound more english then Wes.

But nobody seems to be able to put a hole in the former vampires happy bubbles.

If something evil doesn't rear it's head soon I'm going to slap them both with a cease and desist order.

They've been human for months, you'd think the novelty would have worn off by now.

Even with the sunburn, they were both ridiculously happy about it.

The two whitest guys I know were happy being bright red.

Weird.

If I didn't know better I'd be chopping them up with my hubcap axe.

Wes assures me the curse thing doesn't apply anymore. Those souls are staying put.

But come on! Angel's been humming Mandy and Spike's been humming My Way.

For months!

There has to be a law against it somewhere. They must have forgotten to put that one in when I got all this lawyer knowledge downloaded into my head.

Pirates Of Penzance, no problem.

HMS Pinafore, easy.

Laws against humming, they forget? How is that right?

Anytime I need to get away from the humming hotel I go to the shelter. That bed in Annies office has seen a lot of use lately . . .

Didn't _that_ come out wrong.

Great now the humming is messing with my head.

Bad enough Angel thinks I need some kid named Connor to intern with us and run the errands to the shelter for me, _It's the only excuse I could think of at the time, just try suing me. _Now he thinks I'm working too hard.

Lucky me.

Annie has been great about the whole thing, I swear that lady has the patience of a saint. She even managed to put up with my crew when she joined us on our little trip to the beach. I haven't laughed so much in years, course that might have had something to do with the two red men.

I think she likes me coming down to the shelter as well. She says it gives the kids proof that they can make it in the world.

Even if the kids know I'm onto my _third _hubcap axe now.

First one got mangled by rock-boy, the second one got melted by that dragon before Angel could take it down.

Still, Annie says the kids need positive role models, never thought I'd be called one of those.

Funny how things turn out.

Thank you, evil demons, we have a case.

Finally, the humming will stop and I'll be able to get some work done.


	11. Chapter 11

Rebuilding Chapter 11

Harmony's POV

We have a new case!

A missing persons case.

A missing baby persons case.

Or just a missing baby case.

I wish they had just said that first. Sometimes people are so slow.

This man and woman came in off the street and completely mess with my carefully thought out system.

First they tell me that their baby is missing, babies are small, of course they go missing, my mom used to lose me in the house all the time. We had a lot of rooms.

When I asked if they checked all of their rooms everyone looked at me funny.

Angel and Wesley took the lead at that point, Angel asked for something the baby had been wearing lately, so that we could sample the baby's scent and try tracking it through the city, that's me Angel and Spike, the boys would take the day shift, I'm strictly a nights girl. _We didn't tell them that, obviously._

Wesley asked for a photo and then went down the list of questions he wrote down for me to ask with missing persons cases, see, this part is my job, _we have a system!_ all in place and ready for this stuff.

_I don't know why Angel and Wes do this when kids are involved._

Anyway, we checked the list, no enemies, no money troubles, no Wolfram and Hart _we asked if they were involved in any legal cases. _No body or no thing new in the neighbourhood.

I offered them some coffee and a plate of cookies when they had trouble talking _system remember? _

Making sure to pour from the pot that is on the front desk. The one Wesley puts a mystical truth serum in.

When I asked Wes why he did that, he said that there had been a couple of times where people had lied and some of the team had nearly been killed. _So I make sure that pot is always hot and always full._

Angel told them we'd find the baby, not, we'd try, or we'll do our best. _This isn't part of the system! What's the point of having a system if nobody follows it?_

So we're going to find this baby.

Go team.


End file.
